Seniors visit the Crown Jewel of South West Florida

 I could have taken us to Italy, but today this senior has chosen to highlight a treasure along the Florida coast. Naples (pop. 20,000) is the crown jewel of Southwest Florida, nestled on the sun drenched beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.

Years ago the name Naples caught on when promoters described the bay as “surpassing the bay in Naples, Italy.” Naples is known for world class shopping, dining and abundant, challenging golf courses. It is also, only steps away from island seclusion or the untamed tropical wilderness of The Everglades.

Boasting one of the nation’s best beaches and calmest seas, Naples makes a splash with both water lovers and recreationalists. Friendly parks with open green spaces call to senior sports enthusiasts and picnickers. Naples is one of the wealthiest cities in the United States, with the sixth highest per capita income in America.

Seniors Attracted to Arts And Culture Scene

And things to do: Arts and culture top the list. Senior visitors will find over 130 art galleries in the greater Naples area, along with performances at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts, Sugden Theater and Naples Dinner Theatre.

The Naples Municipal Pier, which stretches 1,000 feet out into the Gulf of Mexico, is the ideal place to enjoy an awesome southwest Florida sunset. Visitors gather en masse on the pier at dusk to experience the beautiful array of the colors. The Pier is a treasured landmark and a great spot for a leisurely stroll, and for a favorite sport of mine…people-watching. Seniors will always find folks fishing off the Pier.

Naples is well known for its high-end shopping, world-class culture and sophisticated dining. But it’s also an affordable destination that appeals to nature lovers and beach aficionados.

Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South are the focal points for Naples shopping in the historic downtown area, with numerous art galleries, chic clothing boutiques and home decor shops.

Senior Bird And Wildlife Watching

Bird and wildlife watching are also at the top of many people’s list. The natural beauty of Naples and Collier County extends far beyond the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the serene Everglades wildlife preserves and refuges.

Naples grew up around a seashore and a boat pier, which served as the town’s lifeline in the 1880s. Well-to-do northerners built homes around the pier and in the neighborhood today known as Old Naples.

With first the extension of a railroad to Naples in 1926, and the completion of the Tamiami Trail (Highway 41) two years later, the town grew eastward, but the heart remained where the first shell-paved roads once ran.

Hailed for its tree-lined downtown shopping plazas, sidewalk cafes and lively clubs, Old Naples also holds many of the city’s historic and architectural treasures, plus wide, white-sand beaches. Seniors, plan to spend a few days soaking up the sun, the great seafood and the pleasant surrounding of Naples.  jeb